Of Thieves and Assassins
by Goddess of the Books
Summary: Thieves and assassins have always remained seperate, but rules are made to be broken. This is a series of crazy, entertaining, funny one shots with the new leaders of the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild, Tinuviel and Oswin.
1. Thief, Meet Assassisin

**Oswin Oswald & Brynjolf**

**Vs.**

**Tinuviel Oakenheart & Cicero**

It was midnight, and the inky blackness of the sky was brightened only by the crescent moon. Two assassins creep stealthily through the city, their keen eyes accustomed to the night. They move silently, so much more skilled than the other assassins here. The Dark Brotherhood of Skyrim is now led by the true assassins of Cyrodiil. The one in the lead is a Nord female who lived in Cyrodiil her whole life. She's 5'9 with a lean, athletic build and alabaster skin. She has long blonde hair, (not that you could see it under her cowl) crystal blue, almond shaped eyes and soft, angled features. She wears the armour of a Dark Brotherhood assassin of old, armour that she took from his grave.

The man who follows her is very different. He has auburn hair rather pale skin with intense amber eyes. He's 5'8 with a lean build and wears the clothes of a jester. The Nord carries a Daedric bow and an enchanted ebony dagger. The jester merely carries a dagger, but he's extremely good with it.

They stalk the strees, not making a sound. Up ahead, a house sits upon the edge of the river. Their target is the mercenary that lies within. They have ridden from Falkreath all the way to Riften for this kill, and they intend to carry out the contract.

They approach the house, the shadows clinging to them like a second skin. When they get to the door, the Nord tries it and finds it unlocked. She glances at her companion who draws his dagger. They push the door open, and nearly gasp at what they see inside. The inside of the house has been ravaged, everything shiny or valuable missing.

"Thieves!" The Nord hisses to her companion. They progress slowly, until they hear a slight thump that only trained ears would have heard. Lucky for the assassins, everything about them was highly trained, they were perfect killers. The assassins creep into the next room and see two thieves scouring the place, looking for valuables. One is a Breton with dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin and hard but not unattractive features. She's short and lithe, obviously agile from the poise and elegance she moves with. The other is a taller man with brown hair, tan skin and inquisitive eyes. He turns towards them, his Nightingale armour gleaming, much like hers.

"Lass, we have company." The Breton turns towards them, instantly in a crouch. She sees their unaggressive stance and straightens, and she and her companion remove their hood.

"Brynjolf!" Cries the Nord, removing her own hood before tackling the man in a hug. Brynjolf's eyes widen and he laughs, hugging her back. The Nord's companion watches mutely, wincing at her enthusiastic hug. Brynjolf's companion scowls, but soon becomes distracted by a shiny object.

"Tinuviel! Never thought I'd see you again lass. What brings you here? And who's your friend?" He asks, eying her odd companion. Tinuviel steps back, standing beside the jester.

"We're with the Dark Brotherhood. This is my… accomplice, Cicero." Cicero bows deeply, laughing darkly. Brynjolf eyes Cicero wearily, but after an affirmative nod from Tinuviel he relaxes.

"My companion here is Oswin Oswald. She's the leader of the Thieves guild, and a Nightingale. I guess that's obvious though." Oswin walks back over, having placed the shiny thing in a pocket. She smiles a bit and stands beside Brynjolf.

"Oh, my Mistress of Sithis is the Listener! She leads the Brotherhood with the Keeper, loyal Cicero, by her side! She is the Listener!" Cicero proclaims. He does a little dance and Brynjolf's eyes widen a bit. Tinuviel touches his shoulder gently and he calms.

"Accomplice, aye lass?" Brynjolf says. Cicero's childlike smile and laughter die suddenly, and he becomes serious. He looks towards the stairs and then back at Tinuviel, as if asking permission. She nods and he draws his dagger, disappearing into the shadows. They hear a cry echoing from the stairs, the mercenary heard them and had been coming down to check it out, well, until Cicero killed him. Cicero walks back, his dagger sheathed.

"I heard him coming down the stairs and had to protect the Listener. Losing one was enough, and this time more is at stake than just losing the Dark Brotherhood." His voice isn't childlike, but masculine and strong. Its strange coming from him, but oddly attractive. Oswin looks up suddenly, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Wait, wasn't he crazy a second ago or was I drinking too much before I got here? And what else is there to lose? Now you've got me curious!" She says, looking up from fiddling with a coin. She pockets it, looking expectantly at the fool. Cicero cocks his head to the side a bit, as if pondering the question.

"Cicero will not tell strangers, he is the Listeners' accomplice…" He trails off, sounding unhappy. He says the word "accomplice" frostily. Tinuviel's eyes soften at his obvious displeasure. She looks at Brynjolf.

"My dearest friend Brynjolf, I must ask, has the woman beside you not captured your heart? Do not deny it; I can see it in your eyes. You have fallen for her." Oswin's pale cheeks turn pink and Brynjolf mutters something about "half-elf tricks." Despite her Nordic looks, Tinuviel was half High Elf on her mother's side.

"All right, fine lass, I am in love with her. Now you owe us an answer!" Brynjolf says, irritation in his voice. Tinuviel grins and Cicero looks a bit anxious. Oswin watches Cicero intently, still unsure about him.

"Why don't we discuss this over a drink? Cicero and I will go find some ale; you two go find some food." Tinuviel says, grabbing Cicero's hand and dragging him off. Brynjolf sighs, and then pulls Oswin into his arms, kissing her lightly before pulling her towards the kitchen.

"I don't know about you, but I'm hungry lass. Shall we go find some food?" Brynjolf asks teasingly. Oswin's stomach growls and she laughs before nodding her head in agreement. They head off to the kitchen to get food, while Cicero and Tinuviel head to the cellar for the ale.

"Bryn, how do you know her?" Oswin asks. Brynjolf looks at her, and they stop walking.

"We used to be partners. Tinuviel used to be a member of the Thieves guild, until one day she disappeared, leaving only a note. She said that she had spent far too long with us and that her family needed her right now. We never saw her again. As for how I know her as well as I do, well, I recruited her. I taught her how to pick pockets and helped her get better at picking locks. She was stealthy as a shadow that one, and I could find anyone who could match her talent with a bow if I tried! And trust me, I tried. We worked together and were good friends, but she always seemed aware and she never let her guard down. She seemed to think that someone was hunting her. You never know, someone probably was." Brynjolf explains. Oswin listens intently, and seems satisfied with his answer. She smiles coyly up at him, looking small compared to him.

"Well, I'm glad I don't have to be a jealous, possessive jerk around her. But when it comes to sharing, you know that I'm no good. Especially when it comes to sharing men." She finishes with a sneer. Brynjolf raises an eyebrow, clearly amused.

"So, I'm yours now lass?" He says mischievously. She smirks before responding, "Weren't you always?" He laughs and a gleam appears in his eyes. He laughs once more before pulling her up the stairs.

Meanwhile, Cicero and Tinuviel walk down the halls of the basement. It's bright, lit at intervals by torches so that it's not gloomy. They walk down the halls, Cicero staying silent.

"Accomplices? Is that all we are?" He asks, his voice still serious. He stops and eyes her. She stops and turns to face him, sighing.

"Cicero…" She trails off, seeing the bitter unhappiness in his eyes. He doesn't smile for once, or dance, or speak. He merely stands, looking much like the sane man he used to be, except for his clothes of course. He had gradually regained a bit of his sanity as he spent more and more time with Tinuviel. HE had gradually become more of the man he used to be.

"Perhaps Cicero should go back to the Sanctuary and care for mother. Listener is more than capable enough to return home by herself without an "accomplice." Cicero thought that he meant more that to the Listener. Cicero thought that he-" Tinuviel silences him by kissing him on the mouth, taking him by surprise.

"My dear Keeper, it's no fun to tell them the truth." She winks, and then laughs at his wide eyed expression. Cicero joins in, his laughter not an insane cackle, but a normal laugh. Their laughter slowly fades until the only thing left is an amused smile.

"Ah, my dear Listener is very clever. I am impressed once more!" He exclaims, and Tinuviel's jaw drops. He looks confused, and she sits there and gapes, staring at him with her eyes wide.

"Cicero, you referred to yourself as "I" and "me," you never do that!" She says, and he looks surprised. He stumbles over a few words until Tinuviel kisses him again, nothing innocent about his one. He falls silent, and allows her pull him down the hall, all thoughts of food and drink forgotten.

(Time Skip)

The sun rises and dawn touches the land. The world lights up and hours later, the inhabitants of the house rise from their slumber. They all meet up in the room where they first met, carrying mead and food. They all sit, either grinning from ear to ear or stumbling like a fool, not all of them very coordinated when they first wake up. Tinuviel is the first to speak, and her voice is slurred and giggly.

"In response to last night's question Bryn, yes, I am in love with him." They all laugh and drink until they fall down. Another job complete, another victory won, another celebration required. So they celebrate.


	2. Drink To That!

**Thanks to a few reviews, a suggestion and some popularity, I decided to extend this into a series of one shots. Ok look, this is really just a huge group of our favorite characters getting EXTREMELY drunk and flirting and stuff. This is on request of my bestest friend ever and fellow Skyrim junkie! A big thank you to her, even though she does not have a fanfiction. Also, Tinuviel helped Cicero and our favorite jester is sane… well, saner. He's still cray cray in the bray bray but whatever!**

**Drink To That!**

Not long after meeting, Oswin and Tinuviel became good friends. One night, they decided that they were going to go to the Bee and the Barb for a few drinks and bring Cicero and Brynjolf with them. To remain inconspicuous, they decide not to wear their normal, Dark Brotherhood and Nightingale armour. Instead, Oswin wears ancient nord armour and Tinuviel wears fur armour that barely qualifies as armour, as it leaves much of her skin exposed to the elements and her adversaries.

The two women work together, preparing for a very unforgettable night, unforgettable to anyone not heavily intoxicated that is. Oswin and Tinuviel are meeting Brynjolf and Cicero there, not wanting to reveal themselves too soon. They grin at the finished product, knowing that they look good.

Oswin has her hair pulled back into a waterfall braid that flows down her back tauntingly. It falls in little rivulets, seeming like lots of little tributaries that connect to the main stream of raven black hair. A bit of dark green eyeliner makes her eyes pop and her pale skin look soft and tantalizing.

The sides of Tinuviel's hair are pulled back, meeting in the back of her head to cascade down with the rest, showing her slightly pointed ears. The rest of her hairs falls flat underneath, trailing down her back and over her shoulders. Her high cheekbones are accentuated by the slight amount of blush she put on them and her eyes are rimmed by blue eyeliner.

They set out towards the Bee and the Barb, reaching it quickly. They push open the door and catch the eye of every man in the establishment, and even a woman or two. They look like paragons of beauty, the symbol of a truly gorgeous and deadly warrior. They walk to the bar, their hips swaying delicately. They sit down and order two drinks and coins clatter down onto the table in front of them, coins that they didn't put down.

Both women turn to see two large nord men approaching, the one on the left having tossed the coins. They are both well built and very muscular, with dark hair and dark eyes that stand out against sun-tanned skin. The slightly larger of the two stands before Tinuviel on the right, while the slightly smaller one stands before Oswin.

"My name is Vilkas and this is my brother Farkas." Says the one standing before Oswin, who smiles coyly at him. Tinuviel eyes Farkas, who has not said a word. Vilkas has an intelligent gleam in his eyes, and the stance of a worthy adversary. Farkas on the other hand, has a somewhat predatory look which Tinuviel finds herself drawn to.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Oswin and this is my friend Tinuviel." Oswin purrs, making the corner of Vilkas's lips twitch into a restrained smile he unsuccessfully tries to hide. Oswin notices this and tilts her head slightly, a smirk on her lips. Farkas breaks the silence.

"What are you two ladies doing all alone?" His voice is rougher than Vilkas's, adding to his predatory look. The girls grab their drinks and look nonchalant as Cicero and Brynjolf walk in. Instead of their normal attire, they are both wearing leather armour, making them both look masculine and well formed. Tinuviel bats her eyelashes at Farkas and smiles sweetly.

Cicero and Brynjolf approach them, pushing past Vilkas and Farkas to stand by Tinuviel and Oswin's side protectively. Tinuviel just stares at Cicero, shocked. His eyes rake her form appreciatively as she continues to stare.

"Speechless are we? Such a shame, you have a very nice voice little Songbird." Cicero says in his serious voice, leaning closer to her, his lips brushing her ear as his voice lowers. "What'll it take to make you sing?" He asks seductively, smirking. She shudders, causing him to giggle like mad. He's still not completely sane, though he's much better.

"Cicero, you're wearing leather armour… You NEVER wear anything but your jester outfit!" Tinuviel finally manages to say, ignoring the redness in her cheeks. The bartender hands them all drinks and Cicero grins, laughing like he used to.

"Hey Tinuviel! What do you say to a friendly wager? A drinking contest! Heck, everyone can join!" Oswin proclaims loudly. She tosses a sack of coins to the barkeeper who stares at it incredulously. Everyone picks up their drink and downs the first one heartily, grinning. They all drink often, so this is bound to be a long night.

**-ten drinks later-**

They are all laughing and having a great time, drinking more than they should and flirting shamelessly. The doors open and Nazir walks in. Everyone welcomes him with another drink. At this point, everybody's a bit drunk.

"Nazir, you sexy Red Guard you! So glad you could join us for this lovely little drinking game! Come join us! It'll be fuuuuun! Fun Nazir! Not like the games we play in the sanctuary, no, real fun! Isn't that right Oswin?" Tinuviel slurs a bit, her grin never faltering. She eyes Nazir and Oswin looks up from her drink, a grin plastered onto her face. She eyes Nazir and licks her lips.

"Always room for one more in this game! Come on over here you little devil you." She signals the bartender, an Argonian woman, who brings another drink. Oswin winks at the Argonian and tosses her another coin, licking her lips at the same time. The door opens again and a young man walks in. He sits down at the bar while Oswin eyes him appreciatively.

"Well well well! Who are YOU?" She asks, making him eye her strangely. He looks at the group and it clicks. They are all very drunk.

"My name is Erik, up until recently I was a farmer, but now I am an adventurer." She grins and scoots closer to him. He merely sits still and watches her, curious. She buys him a drink and grins.

"Well Erik, I would like to welcome you to this lovely establishment and your new life with a drinking game! Join us, you know you want to." She begs, pouting, and he sighs and joins in with a reigned smile. She grins and kisses him full on the mouth, taking him by surprise. This gets Brynjolf's attention, and he stands.

"Good, I'd hate to have to force you to join us! That's not nearly as fun…" She smiles at Erik as he blushes and stutters, then turns and sees Vilkas.

"Oh! It's Vilkas! So good to see you! I was just inducting this newcomer into our game." She grins and winks at Erik who just smiles and starts drinking.

"Lass, must you go around and kiss people you just met?" Brynjolf asks. She turns to him with her eyes wide and pouts.

"I'll kiss who I want to kiss. Like this." She pulls Vilkas down to her lips, kissing him for a few seconds before letting him go and leaning back, grinning from ear to ear. Brynjolf scowls and Oswin tilts her head slightly.

"You know Oswin-" Oswin stops Brynjolf mid sentence and pulls him into a crushing embrace, kissing him with a fiery passion. She lets him go and he staggers back, shocked. She grins innocently and he hands her another drink. She downs it and smiles before standing up, and promptly falling back down.

"Everyone, to the Ragged Flagon!" Nazir calls. Everyone eventually stands, cheering at the idea, and gradually make their way down. Farkas carries Tinuviel who kisses him and giggles, too drunk to walk that far on her own. When they finally get there, the entire guild is there, and has had a few drinks of their own.

"Are we late for the party?" Oswin asks, and the guild laughs and cheers. "You made it!" Cries Rune with a grin.

"For you baby, I'll always make it." She grins and winks as Farkas set Tinuviel down. Brynjolf walks over to Oswin, a strained look on his face.

"I've been so patient lass! Why, Oswin, why?" He slurs, and she grins and giggles a bit before responding.

"Pimpin ain't easy, Bryn." She along with half the group laugh like mad. Tinuviel laughs and staggers to the bar, getting a drink. As she walks her movement becomes more fluid and graceful, and Delvin whistles at her. She turns and winks, standing at the bar beside Oswin.

"Tinuviel Oakenheart! That is my job!" Oswin shrieks. Tinuviel laughs and turns to Oswin, giggling. She winks and smiles slyly.

"Oh no, pimpin ain't easy at all, especially when there's more than one! But don't worry love; I'm sure we can manage somehow." She winks again and laughs. Oswin smiles suddenly before saying, "Oh, we'll do more than manage, "love," much more." With that Oswin kisses Tinuviel right smack on the lips. Tinuviel kisses her back, and the entire guild falls silent, staring at the insane sight before them. Oswin pulls back and grins at the crowd, and Tinuviel casts a saucy look at Cicero, who looks stricken. Then he smiles and wolf whistles before laughing hysterically, making Tinuviel blush furiously, clearly not expecting that. The guild applauds at the brazen young women, except Brynjolf, who continues to stare at Tinuviel and Oswin in shock.

Oswin hops up and flounces over to Brynjolf and kisses him on the cheek. Tinuviel laughs and hops up walking over to Cicero slowly, drink in hand. She tilts her head and smiles. He starts talking excitedly about the listener being so unpredictable and attractive when suddenly Tinuviel leans forwards as if too kiss him, and collapses onto the floor, out cold, drink still in hand. Cicero sighs and picks her up, carrying her into the Guild room and laying her on a bed.

Next to drop was Erik, then Tonilla, then Delvin, then Sapphire, then Vex, then Nerien, then Rune, then Cynric, then Vilkas, Nazir, Farkas, Brynjolf, and finally, Oswin. The only one left standing was Cicero, who never left his Listener's side.

**HAHAHA! OMG, I had SO much fun writing this! I hope you all love reading it as much as I love writing it! Anyways, I'd like to thank all my readers, reviewers, followers, ect. The next few will not be as bad as this one, and could probably pass for a K rating. So, no, not all of them will be like this :P Once again I hope you enjoyed! –Goddess out**


	3. Dragonborn Adventures

**Hi everyone, my fellow Skyrim junkie and wife wrote this with me! This one is slightly more serious in a less serious way. It is an adventure Tinuviel and Oswin had together without Brynjolf and Cicero. Rated T. I hope yall like it!. PS. My wife loves you all!**

**Dragonborn Adventures**

ONE DAY… Tinuviel Oakenheartand Oswin Oswald were adventuring, and stopped by the Bannered Mare in Whiterun. Upon entry Tinuviel was greeted VERY warmly by the flirtatious bard, Mikael. He purposely bumped into her, spilling mead all over her armour. With a sly grin, he offered to help her remove the dampened armour. This confused poor Tinuviel, as she was unused to such brazen advances from unknown men, as usually Cicero was by her side. Seeing her bestest friends confusion and alarm, Oswin decided to lend a helping hand.

"Are you flirting with my dear lover?" She asked in mock surprise as she slung an arm around Tinuviel. It looked odd, as Oswin was a head shorter than Tinuviel. Mikael looked taken aback at the odd "couple."

Unknown to the trio, they were being observed by a fearsome and attractive Nord with blonde hair and icy blue eyes. Mikael stumbles over a hasty apology and scurries off. The two "lovers" take a seat at a nearby table and proceed to discuss something pertaining to murder and riches. They take no notice of the large man who observes them, and don't even glance in his direction as he strolls casually up to them, taking a seat at the table.

"Hey there ladies." He eyes them, noting their glances around the room. These two aren't common women, they're definitely adventures, and probably have a knack for trouble. Oswin puts an elbow on the table and rests her chin on her hand. She eyes the handsome Nord, then decides to keep up the act which he had undoubtedly heard.

"Another man come to hit on my woman?" Her voice is dripping with exhaustion, and Tinuviel sighs internally before deciding to go along with Oswin's little scheme. Tinuviel smirks and plays along.

"Honestly, is it that hard for you to understand? You MUST have heard us telling that bard off." Tinuviel adds with blatant aggravation. The Nord smiles wryly and with a deep coarse voice, says "That's not what I came over here to do." Tinuviel arches an eyebrow and smirks.

"Then why in the Void are you doing here?" While they talk, Oswin relieves the man of a few of his shinier possessions.

"I happen to be going on a dangerous adventure to the dwemer ruin Aichvnadzel. My friend and I are looking for experienced help for the excavation. There will be a handsome reward." Tinuviel eyes him wearily.

"I hope you aren't about to offer to sleep with us." Her eyebrows arch and it takes all of Oswin's self control not to burst out laughing at the remark, pondering the idea. She sets down the gem she was holding, and the Nord looks down at it, snatching it up.

"That's mine!" He says sharply, and Oswin pouts. The pout morphs into a devilish grin.

"What else is yours?" His eyes narrow and he begins to understand. That wasn't the only thing she took. He scowls at her and searches his pockets, coming up short and practically growls at her.

"Got anything you'd like to return?" He asks, his voice full of venom. She smiles innocently like Babbete outside a candy shop with an old man. (if you didn't get that you either weren't part of the dark brotherhood or you paid absolutely NO attention to the story Babbete told)

"Nope!" She beams at him, and Tinuviel bites back a chuckle. The man merely scowls and continues with his offer.

"Doesn't matter" He says through clenched teeth, "will you join us?" Tinuviel laughs and extends a hand. He smiles a bit and shakes it and then Oswin extends her. As he shakes it, she relieves him of the jewel he had so angrily take back moments ago.

"My name is Laevan. Might I inquire as to your own?" He asks, his voice smooth and not at all angry like it had been not long ago.

"Tinuviel Oakenheart and-" Tinuviel doesn't get a chance to finish as Oswin interrupts her. "Oswin Oswald, at your service." She half bows, a smirk on her lips. Tinuviel rolls her eyes and smiles helplessly at Oswin's theatrics.

**-time skip-**

They finally reach the ruin and see a man waiting for them at the entrance. Unlike Laevan, he's shorter (not as short as Oswin) with caramel colored skin, amber eyes, dark hair and a cocky grin. He eyes the approaching trio, particularly the two women. Oswin gives him a quick once over and hides her amused smile, turning to Tinuviel.

"You know what they say about Redgaurds…" She trails off, glancing absentmindedly towards said Redguard. Tinuviel turns towards her, looking down at her companion. She looks confused.

"They have curved swords." She finished with a grin. Tinuviel laughs, Redgaurds are known for their scimitars. She laughs a bit longer than is necessary, thoroughly amused by her little companion's short attention span.

"Finally, I've waited here for far too long. It's been nearly a week!" His voice is deep and smooth. He eyes Oswin and Tinuviel, his eyes lingering on the former.

"Hmm, I understand your choice in bringing the blonde but isn't the brunette a bit… short?." Oswin's fingers tingled, blue sparks flickering around them. Her eyes narrow in concentration. She brings a hand to her chest, clenches it into a fist and launches a lightening bolt at the offending Redguard. He flies back and hits a tree. He gets up, staggering and shakes his head to clear it.

"Terribly sorry m'lady. You have every right to be here!" Oswin rolls her eyes and Tinuviel laughs. Laevan bites back an amused chuckle and clears his throat.

"Excellent choice. My name is Tinuviel Oakenheart." Tinuviel smirks and finishes with a flourish.

"Lets get this over with." They descend into the ruin, intent on finding the treasure that is rumored to be within.

About halfway through the ruin, they are overwhelmed by falmer. The monstrous little creatures attack them from all sides, swarming them like a horde of angry ants. The little group begins to doubt their chances of survival when Laevan steps forwards and with a deep and powerful voice says, "FUS ROH DAH!" The falmer that had gathered in front of him were thrown back and quickly overwhelmed. In no time the falmer lay slaughtered.

"What was that?" Tinuviel asks, eyes a bit wide at the impressive actions of the man. Laevan sighs before explaining.

"I'm the Dragonborn." He says, and both Tinuviel and Oswin's eyes widen. They glance at each other and then back at Laevan.

"So, you decided that you could retain that little bit of information from us? Personally, I believe that to be rather important honestly. What do you think Oswin?" Tinuviel asks, looking at her companion. Oswin nods.

"I agree. And honestly, I would rather not travel with the Dragonborn, so we're going to be parting ways when we reach the path that leads to the surface. You two can continue on if you'd like." Oswin says, immediately untrusting of the Dragonborn. They are undoubtedly after something dangerous, and neither Tinuviel nor Oswin want anything to do with it.

Tinuviel and Oswin part ways with the Dragonborn and his companion at the next intersection. They make their way to the Great Lift of Mzark to ascend to the surface while their former companions head deeper into the ruin. Up ahead they see an alcove, which upon exploring a bit, turns out to be a tunnel. Never one to pass up a chance at treasure, Oswin leads Tinuviel into the tunnel.

At a glance, the tunnel appears to be empty, so they descend further, hoping to find something interesting. Up ahead there's another alcove, this one filled with mushrooms and other cave plants. They look around, and find precious little. Exhausted, they decide to take the opportunity and get some much needed sleep. As they drift off, distant and nearly noiseless footsteps draw closer.

Oswin awakens, the dank air seeming to resonate with an almost voiced plea. The silence is oppressive, she's alone. She sits up and looks around, hoping to find some sign of Tinuviel. There is nothing.

"Tinuviel." She says quietly, though her words echo and seem loud as they pierce the perfect silence. She stands up, checking the floor and walls for any sort of sign. There is not a single thing proclaiming her passing. Panic begins to build within Oswin, and she forces herself to relax with deep, measured breaths. She sets out in search of her friend.

Tinuviel groans, her eyes opening slowly. A glance at her surroundings has her wide awake though. As she looks about she sees the interior of a small hut that appears to be made of gray straw that had been woven together. She feels a strain on her shoulders and as she moves her arms, she discovers them bound. She feels the press of the rope on her wrists and ceases her strain against them. She relaxes, already formulating a plan to escape. She has broken out of every prison in Skyrim, she's the leader of the Dark Brotherhood after all.

Oswin wanders down the halls, moving silently over the rough ground. Her dark eyes scan the tunnels, noting all the possibilities of where Tinuviel could have gone. There are precious few. A slight scuffle from a side tunnel to her left has her sinking into the shadows, waiting patiently for whatever was coming. When nothing happens, she starts down it, hoping that it was her friend's assailant or her friend.

Tinuviel's possessions are still with her and as she work the dagger in her right sleeve down into her hand she has to hold back a chuckle. What idiot leaves someone like her with all their gear? She works it into her hand and cuts herself loose, the rope falling from her wrists in under a minute. After all, it's what she had been trained to do.

Oswin sneaks cautiously into the large room before her, though it appears empty. She

proceeds to examine a strange statue that stands guard over what she hopes is treasure. She approaches it, noting its massive size and dwarven make when suddenly, it moves. It isn't a statue, it is a dwarven centurion, and it wants her dead.

Tinuviel picks the lock with ease and gently pushes open the door. All around her, falmer scouts slowly patrol the area. She sucks in a breath and hopes for the best, creeping slowly towards a tunnel that she hopes is the correct one. A resounding bellow from another tunnel makes her freeze, and the falmer instantly headed towards the unearthly sound. They all pee themselves and die when Tinuviel shouts from the middle of the group. (That last sentence was written by my wife)

Tinuviel falls over laughing, tears in her eyes at the IMMENSE stupidity of the blind falmer, when another bellow resounding from the tunnel snaps her back to reality. She runs down the tunnel, abandoning stealth for speed.

As she reaches the cavern, only to see a massive dwarven centurion hit Oswin with a massive, club like weapon, sending her flying into a wall. She slumps to the ground, trying feebly to stand. She grabs a vial from her bag and downs it quickly. She stands, stumbling a bit. Her hands spark with the beginning of a powerful spell, and the centurion hits her again, sending the tiny Breton flying.

Tinuviel rushes forward, sticking to the shadows and approaching the centurion from behind. She takes a running start and leaps upon it, managing to reach a ledge on its back. She pulls herself up and grabs her dagger before stabbing the Centurion in the center of its massive back. The light in its eyes dims as she pulls her dagger from the beast, its power core impaled on her dagger. With a smirk she leaps down from her perch as the thing topples over.

Tinuviel's victory is cut short and her panties get in a bunch when she sees her bestest friend, Oswin lying crumpled on the ground. (Another sentence by my wife) She grabs something from a pocket as she runs to Oswin's side. Crouching down, she unscrews the bottle and tips its contents into Oswin's partially open mouth.

Oswin leaps to her feet, a strange haze clouding her vision. She staggers a bit, the pain receding. Her vision shifts and sways, the world seeming to writhe beneath her feet.

"What did you give me?" She asks, her voice sounding strange to her. She looks down at herself experimentally and quickly looks back up. Everything is weird and disturbing and she takes a deep, steadying breath.

"Skooma." Tinuviel says simply. Oswin presses a hand to her forehead, praying to every divine she can think of at the time that the effects wear off quickly. The skooma does its job well, waking Oswin up and dulling her pain. Tinuviel hands her a health potion which she downs, gagging slightly at the bitter taste.

They slowly begin making their way out of the cave and soon find themselves under the warm sun. With a smile Oswin summons Arvak and Tinuviel mounts Shadowmere. Soon all that can be heard is the thundering of hooves upon the cold hard ground as the two return to Brynjolf and Cicero at a leisurely pace, who are waiting in Winking Skeever. They have another job to do upon their arrival and it won't wait, judging by the way their contacts moaned about a one week wait. Tinuviel laughs, as they wasted their week on their shenanigans and random entertainment. Good times, good times.

**Not a phenomenal ending, I know. Cicero was caring for the Night Mother during that and Brynjolf was looting something just in case you were wondering where they were. Hopefully you enjoyed this little story as much as I did because I loved writing it! Thanks my awesome readers and by the way, I am not sure how often my wife will aid me in my writing but I can tell you it won't be very often. I love you all!**

**-Goddess out**


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